Joiner link



Oct. F PARKER JOINER LINK Filed Nov. 23,V 1942 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .TOINER LINK Humphrey Parker, Kenmore, N. Y., assigner :to l Columbus McKinnon AChain Corporation, Ton'- awantla, N. Y., a corporation of New York l .Application November 23, 1942, serial No. `466,538

. l Claim.

My invention relates in general to chainlinks `and more particularly to links made of separable .parts adapted to be fastened together after assembly.

The principal object `of my invention has been to provide a link which `may be economically manufactured and which will be strong and durable in use.

.Another object has been to'provide a'link made up of separate sections eachhaving substantially `tluplicate connecting parts which may be `easily `assembled and disassembled and securely fas tened together ,by suitable screwthreaded means.

Moreoven my link sections vare so formed that they may be made largely by means of a :drop forging process.

A further object has been to provide a joine'r link 'whose sections are formed with `a joint having offset inclined surfaces united at `their adjacent ends by an abutment, one surface extendlng substantially tangentially from the solid end portion of the section and the other surface extending tothe tip of each leg 'portion Moreover, the .joint in my link vis formedwithI a single engaging abutment, whereby the .load Ataken by the link will not require accurate distribution over a plurality of separated `abutting surfaces.

Furthermore, my link sections are provided with reinforcing portions contiguous to the abutments of the joints, such reinforcements beine joined to the link portion by-means of exterior curved surfaces, thereby permitting the link 'to pass over objects without catching.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by thedevice shown in the accom Dahyilg drawing O'f Whlch Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of my `assembled link with portions thereof in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; i

Fig. 3 is an end sectional elevation of one o the link portions of my invention showing it being threaded through a chain link with which the joiner link is to be attached;

Figs. 4 and 5 show, respectively. an elevational and plan view of a modified form of the invention, showing. it applied to a pear-shaped coupling link; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the joint between the link of Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring particularly to the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, my link com prises two link sections ID and I I which are preferably of duplicate formation. As shown in the drawings each of these links is preferably U-shaped each formed withl leg portions l2 which are in overlapped relation when the link is assembled. Each leg portion has a relatively thick body part AIl and an attenuated tip` 2|. Formed on `the contiguous face of each of these link portions are two coacting, substantially'v fiat inclined surfaces I6 vandZil which are preferably parallel with one another and in offset relation` An abutment I3 having a `shoulder I4 is formed between the adjacent ends of these inclined sur faces. the body part Il and the solid end portion 'I5 of each of the link sections. The surface (Iliextends from the Abottom of the shoulder I4 'to the end portion I5 ofeach of the sections extending partly over vthe body part thereof, and the surface 2i) extends from the 'upper edge of the shoulder 'M to the tip 2i of the leg portion.

As shown in Fig. 3, that part of each Aleg Aportion I2 which is adjacent the abutment I3 is en'- larged so as to reinforce `the `sections at these points. This reinforcing is brought about bv providing longitudinally extending cheeks 22 at each side 'of the leg portions. So -as to secure maximum strength of the reinforcement at these points 4and still be able to 'pass the section through a solid link, a flat surface 23 isprovided on the exterior surface of the link of each ieg lportion between the 'cheeks 22. VSo as to avoidall `protuberances, the surfaces 2.3 and ridges 22 are convexlycurved and streamlined (as shown in Fig. 1), extending toward the end'porticnl and into the body part 11 in tangential manner at one end of each ieg portion, and extending to and joining the attenuated tip 2l at the other end thereof.

'Ihelink portions are secured 'together in4 their assembled 'positions 'preferably by means of screws 24, each of which passes through an aperturer25 formed in each of the tips `2l, and into the `body part l1 of the leg portion 'l2 of the op.`

poste link section. The screws 24 preferably' have countersunk heads 26, and a counter-sunk aperture 3l) is formed for the reception of the head so that it will lie flush with or below the exterior curved surface of the link section.

As shown in Fig. 3 the thickness of the reinforcing surfaces 22 and 23 of each of the leg portions I2V at the abutment is such that each section may be threaded through a solid link 3l. Obviously', the solid link will be moved to a position of engagement with the end portion I5 of the link section before the other section of the link is assembled therewith` As shown in Fig. 1, when my link sections are 'I'he shoulder is so arranged as to face` assembled, the joints between them formed by the coacting surfaces I6 and 20 extend substantially diagonally in longitudinal direction from one end of the completed link to the other and substantially tangentially from the solid end portion l at one side of the link to the solid end portion at the opposite side thereof. These coacting surfaces function as guiding surfacesand permit the link sections to be assembled by relative longitudinal movement. Because of the formation and position of these surfaces, the

link sections may be easily separated by relative endwise movement tending to move them toward one another; and, should the sections tend to adhere through the presence of rust or bthe like, the surfaces also function as shearing surfaces whereby the sections may be readily separated by striking them on the ends I5'With a hammer in the direction just above indicated. I

In Figs. 4 and 5 where I show my invention as applied to a coupling link, the entire link'when assembled is preferably of pear-shaped formation, and composed of two sections and 3B. In links ofthis form it is preferable to make thesection 35 of stock which is larger in diameter than the stock from which the section 35 is formed.

Each of the sections is formed in its adjacent surface with an abutment 40 forming a shoulder 4l. The top of the abutment 40 is joined to the attenuated tip 42 of the section 35 by means of an inclined;V substantially at surface 43. EX- tending backwardly Vfrom the lower portion of the shoulder 4| is a surface 44, which preferably lies in a plane substantially vparallel to the sur-` face 43 and extends over the relatively thick body part 31 of the leg portion 50. The surface 44 on link portion 35 lies substantially below the solid end portion 45 thereof and is joined'to such surface preferably by thecurved surface 46. The

'abutment 4D of the section 351s formed in the leg portions 59 of this section.

The section 3B of this form of 'my link is formed with leg portions 5I each having a relatively thick body part 41 and an attenuated tip 42. Since this section of the link is preferably rmade from stock of smaller diameter than the section 35, it is necessary that the portion adjacent the joint be reinforced. To this end the leg portions are widened to substantially the full opening of a solid link and are maintained over such widened area at a thickness which will conveniently pass through such solid link. This section of the link isV obviously also formed with an abutment 40 and shoulder 4I which face the solid end 52 of the section. Each of the sections Y35 and 36of this form of my invention is formed in the tips with an aperture for the passage of a'fastening screw 53, a countersunk aperture 54 being formed in the face of the tip for the reception of at least a portion of the head of the screw. Each of these screws pass into a threaded aperture 55 formed in the body part of each of the sections, whereby the parts may be securely clamped together. While it is preferable to have the coacting faces or shoulders of the abutment substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal Aaxis of the link, as shown in the forms of invention of Figs. 1 to 3, these surfaces may be inclined backwardly a smal1 amount to provide yclearancevvhen the sections are made by a drop forging process. Such backward inclination of the shoulders 4I does not affect the strength of the link joint since the screws 53 prevent separation of the sections. vIt is. also preferable in links of largeV size to join the inclined surfaces 43 and 44 to the shoulders 4|" by means of a fillet 41 at the bottom of the abutment and a rounded edge 48 at the upper endA thereof for coaction with the llet 41 of the vopposite section.

As shown in Fig. 3, each link section is of necessity first assembled with the solid link or other object to which it is to beati-,ached by having either of its ends passed into 'and through such link or object, after which the link or object is preferably rotated through substantially'v 90 until its axis is substantially parallel withthe major axis' of the joiner link. After 'thel two end links of the chain'or other object to be` attached have been engaged by each of the sections of the link, the ends of the sections are brought together so as to cause the abutments and adjacent surfaces to engage, after which the sections are securely fastened together `by the fastening screws. J

Having thus described my invention,` what I claimis: f

A joiner link, comprising twov oppositelyiarranged, superimposed sections, each section having a one-piece end portion disposed at the longi tudinal, closed endof the link and two leg por'- tions extending outwardly'therefrom and inthe general direction of the longitudinal axis of the link, the leg portions of one section'being ar ranged oppositely to the leg portions of the other section, each leg portion being formed with a relatively thick body part near the endportion and with an attenuatedV tip,'a single abutment located substantially intermediately each tip and adjacent body part, each of said leg portions be-` ing formed with only two substantially flat offset surfaces, one of said surfaces joining said tip with said abutment, and the other surfacejoining Vthe abutment with the body part, each of said abut'- ments forming an angle with the joining -flat surfaces, and oppositely arrangedl fastening means spaced from and atV opposite sidesof each abutment to Vsecure the sections against lateral separation, each of said fastening means passing through and seating in the attenuated tip-fof one section and'engaged with theA bodyfpart' of the opposite section.` Y'

l HUMPHREY F. PARKER; 

